BirthRight
by DeathsRain
Summary: [Shounen-Ai] Sometimes, when things go wrong, it doesn't matter what you are, just that you are there for those you love.
1. Grievance

As always, I own nothing that resembles Fire Emblem in any way. I don't own the game, the characters, anything.

Grievance

I wandered around the camp trying to ignore all of the conversations going on. All I wanted to notice was the red hair.

"Hey, Lyndis! Have you seen Eliwood anywhere?" I could tell by her reaction that she hadn't even before she gave me an answer.

"No, I haven't. But if I see him I'll send him in your direction." Judging by her expression, she is also worried about Eliwood. Hell, everyone is. We couldn't even begin to imagine what he was going through.

Nodding my thanks, I continue my search. I was getting worried, no one had since him since we set up camp hours ago. There wasn't too many places one could hide with so many companions toiling about.

Mark had suggested we leave him alone right now, but I can't bear to see him this way. I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that it's not his fault.

At least I don't think it was…No, of course not.

We had always been there to protect each other, to fight the other's battles. Even as children Eliwood would save me in a battle of the wits, while I could use my strength to help him.

Flashback

"Get out of here you Pherean brat!" Eliwood flinched as his back slammed into the base of the tree. Erik's two friends lifted the boy to his feet, holding him still. His hand formed into a fist, and he drove it into Eliwood's stomach.

A cry escaped his lips as he fell to the ground, doubled over. Erik grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground.

"Just because your father dragged you along doesn't mean you have the right to be here!" He smiled to himself. He found the fear in Eliwood's eyes seemed to feed his very soul. He was enjoying the pain he caused.

"Bu-but Marquess Laus told me to! He told me I could look around the gardens while the grown-ups talk!" His voice was trembling as he tried to explain himself. Eliwood tried to pry himself loose, but Erik was stronger than him.

"How dare you lie about my father like that!" Erik slammed him into the tree once again, shifting his grip to Eliwood's throat. A sly smile slid across Erik's faced as Eliwood struggled against the tightening grip.

"Phil! Give me it!" Reluctantly, he moved towards Erik, unsheathing an old dagger. Erik took it with his free hand, running a finger over the blade. It was pretty dull, but it would still work. He didn't wish to seriously harm the boy, merely teach him his place.

He moved the dagger to Eliwood's upper left arm, running the blade along the skin. Eliwood cried out as the blood slowly trickled downward. Enjoying himself too much, he watched as his hand moved the blade towards the boy's throat.

"Erik! Stop! You said you weren't gonna hurt him!" The smaller boy cried out, hoping to bring his friend to his senses.

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing!" But really, he didn't. Erik couldn't control his actions, couldn't control what he was doing with the blade. But then, he didn't really want to…

"Get away from him!" I flung myself into Erik, causing him to drop Eliwood as he flew to the ground. I watched as he staggered to his feet, now without the weapon. I moved myself to stand directly in front of Eliwood, protecting him from any more attacks.

"This doesn't involve you… It's between me and the brat!" Erik spat. He looked ready to tremble as I glared down at him, a small smirk highlighting my features.

"That's where you're wrong. This 'brat' happens to be a close friend of mine. You got a problem with him, you got a problem with me." I move slowly towards him, emphasizing my point. It obviously works, as the fear begins to show in his eyes, and he backs up with each of my steps.

"This isn't over Eliwood!" He yells as he turns tail and runs, his lackeys following close behind. He's the same coward I remember him to be.

Remembering about Eliwood, I move over to him, kneeling beside the redhead. Erik got him pretty good, he seems shaken up. As I make eye contact with him, I can see the tears welling up in his eyes. He's trying so hard to prevent them from falling…

"Eliwood? Are you okay?" Before I even knew what happened, he threw his arms around my neck, letting the tears flow.

"…I was scared." He finally managed to choke out. Wrapping my arms around him, I allowed the scared boy to bury his head in my shoulder.

"Shh…It's okay, Eliwood. You're safe now." I held him close, stroking the back of his head. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally managed to calm down.

"Tell me…what happened?" Unsure of whether or not this would upset him again, I chose to chance it.

"…Marquess Laus told me I could look in the gardens, and then Erik came a-and…" I could tell he was getting upset again, so I tightened my grip on him.

Remaining that way, I allowed him to regain his composure. Ripping a strip of cloth off of my shirt, I wrap it around the cut on Eliwood's arm. It will have to do until I can get him to a cleric.

Pulling his arm around my shoulder, I stood up, supporting most of his weight for him.

"Come on, let's get you inside."

"…Thank you."

End Flashback

Thinking back on that, I remembered how right it had felt to hold Eliwood like that. I really couldn't understand or explain it, just that I had the most wonderful feeling penetrate him as I comforted him.

I felt that we were more than friends, but how far did it really go?

Hearing Merlinus yelling at Matthew, I couldn't help but break my train of thought. He was just so loud…

"Matthew! I'm missing a dagger!"

"So. What does that have to do with me?"

"You're the thief, you took it!"

"Could it be that you misplaced it?"

"What? Me misplace something? Never!"

Sighing, I decide to ignore the situation. I'm not really in the mood to deal with this, besides, companion disputes was Eliwood's category.

Finally confident with the idea that Eliwood wasn't in camp, I begin my search in the forest.

"Lord Hector, where are you off to at this hour?" Turning around, I come face to face with our mage, Erk.

"Oh, Erk. Where did you come from."

"Just…around."

"Right, fine. Be mysterious." Rolling my eyes slightly, I quickly remember my task at hand. "Hey, you haven't seen Eliwood lately, have you?"

"Lord Eliwood? Well, yes, actually. He passed this way about an hour ago." He replied, having pondered the question.

"Really? Thank you, Erk." Without waiting for a response, I take off in the direction the mage told me. I couldn't help it, but I was feeling more worried about him than I should have been.

Just what was I feeling?

Hurrying my pace, I eventually find my way through the maze of trees. Stepping out, I notice that it had begun to rain, and judging by the ground, it had been raining for a while. Letting the rain cool down my face, I look around at the new surroundings.

I have found my way to a cliff, which hangs over the ocean. Any other time, I would sit and marvel at its beauty, but right now, my gaze is fixed on another setting. Eliwood…

And he's got a dagger pointing towards his wrist.

"Eliwood!" Running towards him, I hit his hand just as the dagger tries to pierce the skin. I watch in shock as the weapon flies from his hand, beginning its descent into the rolling waves.

"Just what the hell do you think you are doing!" I can't help but scream at him, seeing him ready to end his own life so easily.

"…I took her life. This is the only way that I can make it up to her…" I hear him whisper. Looking at his face is upsetting. I've never seen him look so sad before, ever.

"What! Ending your own! What will that accomplish! Is this really what you think Ninian would want! To kill yourself?"

"…It's the only way. I'm going to end this!" As he says this, I can see the determination rising in his eyes. Seeing no other way to snap him from this, I slap him…hard.

Watching as he falls back, I get a clear glimpse of his face. His hair is wetted down against his head, making him seem years younger. His eyes are red, and are shut slowly. His face is wet, from both the rain and the tears. It hurt to see him like this.

And finally, I understand this feeling. The reason why it felt so right being with him. I…I love him. There's no other explanation. Oh, but if only it could work out between us.

This relationship would never be accepted, what with our birthright. And even if it would be, he could never feel the same about me. It's obvious his heart will always belong to Ninian.

Hearing a sniffle, I look down at the redhead. He's trying so hard to keep from crying, not that I could really blame him. Having lost the one he loved, and having lost control of himself.

Screw birthright, he needed someone. I could be his shoulder to cry on. Dropping to my knees, I embrace him, feeling his arms wrap around my neck lightly. He buries his head in my shoulder, and lets the tears flow…

Just like last time…

Stroking his hair, I don't bother to press him for questions. I can understand why…

He lost control of himself. Almost ended his life. He was scared. But this time, he was unable to stop the tears. Overjoyed with the fact that he was in my arms again, I did the only thing that was on my mind.

Taking his chin in my hand, I slowly lifted it upwards, and pressed my lips against his. I selfishly didn't care what he thought…I was doing this for me. I watched as his eyes flared up in shock, waited for him to punch me, but it never came.

I was surprised by the fact that he didn't pull away, and even more surprised when his eyes slowly closed themselves. Finally ending the sweet kiss, he looked up right at me.

"Did you ever notice how it feels so right when we're together, Hector?"

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	2. Fervent Wishes

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Fervent Wishes

I awoke with a start, feeling a chill wind blowing against my still damp hair. It had stopped raining a short while ago judging by the grass. How long have we been out here?

Carefully moving my shoulder from under Eliwood, I stand up, stretching out my sore muscles. I notice my clothing is still damp, but I really don't mind. It actually feels somewhat refreshing.

Deciding to let Eliwood rest a little longer, I sit down to admire the view I wanted to last night. It really is breathtaking. The stars seem to add to the mysterious beauty of this place. Wait a minute…stars?

We've been here longer than I thought. Better head back before the others get worried, if they weren't already. Walking over towards Eliwood, I shake him lightly, hoping to jostle him from his sleep.

He moans slightly, but still doesn't wake up. It's then I notice that his face is flushed, and that beads of sweat are collecting along his temples and cheeks.

Resting my head against his forehead, I discover he has a fever. No, he's burning up. But how did this happen so fast? Why wasn't I sick as well?

Of course…He was out in the rain longer than I was, and he's always been more susceptible to the cold than me. Plus it didn't help that he wasn't exactly in the greatest of conditions last night.

Well, I've really got no choice other than to get him back to camp. Surely one of the others will know what to do. Slipping my arms under his neck and knees, I carefully lift him off the ground. As I cradle him against my chest, I hear him moan again. The sooner I get him back, the better…

"Lord Pent, are you sure this is all we can do for him?" I nervously play with the bottle he has handed me.

"Yes. Give him the tonic, and keep him comfortable. That's all any of us can do until Marcus returns with a restore staff."

"So…you mean this tonic won't help him?"

"It will reduce the fever for a while, but that's about it I'm afraid." He sounded almost apologetic, probably feeling that he should be able to do more.

"Thank you." Slumping my shoulders in defeat, a discomforting silence fills the tent. Hearing Pent shuffling out of the room, I chose to ignore him, my thoughts elsewhere.

This is all my fault. I should've brought Eliwood back as soon as I found him, or at least got him out of the rain. He would be okay right now, if I had only used my head.

But there is no point in kicking myself right now. I have more important things to worry about. Mainly, Eliwood. Looking down at him, I realize that he's gotten worse. He has lost even more of his color, and he's sweating heavily.

Propping his head up with my arm, I manage to get him to drink the tonic. Judging by his expression, it doesn't taste very good. It would actually be pretty funny if he wasn't so ill.

Feeling his forehead, I notice that his fever had gone up since last time. Not wanting Eliwood to overheat more than he already has, I slip his shirt off, careful not to disturb him. My eyes glance over his torso, and I'm amazed at what I see…

I was right when I said that Eliwood wasn't well built and didn't have much to him, but I didn't plan on it being muscle. He actually had a fair amount of muscle to him, yet he was still lean in appearance.

What were the girls always calling this type of build? Was it cut? Whatever, not like it really matters right now.

Taking the cloth out of the water laden bowl, I wring it out and place it on his forehead. The muscles in his face constrict has he whimpers lightly. The fever must be worse than I thought.

"Hey, how is he?" I watch as Lyn quickly works her way over to Eliwood. It's easy to she she's worried about him, he has been unconscious for awhile now.

"He's gotten worse." Lyn joins me on the ground, and we just sit in silence.

"Hector, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Well, I know it's a little off topic, but you and Eliwood have always seemed so close. It just got me wondering how the two of you met."

Flashback

I hate it when the Lycian Council meets. While they're all busy talking, I get stuck playing 'host' with the other kids. I couldn't stand any of them, especially Erik.

Erik was a snake. He would try to befriend those that provided the most benefits. Unfortunately, having hailed from Ostia, I was at the top of his list.

"Hector! There you are!"

Crap. And so it begins.

"What is it, Erik?"

"Have you seen Zephiel?" Figures, he's after Bern now. Maybe I should lie for Zephiel's sake.

"No, I haven't." I watch as he scampers off, reminding me of a rat looking for scraps of food.

Well, it would seem that everyone's here, and maybe for once I'll luck out and not have to do anything. Everyone seems to be preoccupied, talking with another they found interesting.

Kimiko was busy talking about girly things with Nami, while a group of guys were joking around about anything they could think of. The others simply conversed, and I was pleased to be able to relax.

As I slip past Christopher, I notice one of the kids sitting quietly in the corner. I had never seen him before. He must be new, for I could never miss that unruly flame red hair.

I found myself intrigued by him. He appeared small and timid, but his eyes held such a determined look that I had never seen in anyone. I walk towards him, trying to decide what to say.

"Hi! You must be new here. I'm Hector." I stick my hand out, and he graciously accepts.

"I'm Eliwood." I take a seat beside him, which is followed by an awkward silence.

"So, Eliwood, where are you from?" I ask, hoping to strike up some sort of a conversation.

"I'm from Pherae."

"Really? So you're Marquess Pherae's son?"

"Yes. What about yourself?"

"I'm from Ostia." Smirking, I can't help but feel sorry for him. He's obviously led a sheltered life.

"Really?" So this is your place then?" I watch as he nervously plays with his hands.

"Yep. So Eliwood, tell me, why are you sitting here on your own?"

"Well, to be honest, I find these types of things to be boring."

"Same here, can't stand them. I actually planned on leaving a little early to go have some fun. You wanna come?"

"Won't we get in trouble for leaving though?"

"They'll never notice, so let's go!" Grabbing his arm, I drag him behind me, leaving the room.

End Flashback

"Wow! So you two have been friends for a long time."

"Yep. Twelve years, I think." Suddenly, a small scream is heard from outside.

"Well, I guess I'd better save Florina from Sain." She began heading out, but stopped just before the exit. "Oh, and Hector. Get some rest, you look horrible." Before I could reply, she left.

Had it really been twelve years? When did brotherly love cross the line, blossoming into more? Deciding not to worry about that right now, I decide to get some rest. There's nothing more I can do for Eliwood right now, and I have to wait until Marcus returns anyway.

Hearing a noise beside me, I force myself awake. Kneeling in front of Eliwood is Lucius, and he appears to be holding a staff…must be the restore.

Flinging myself out of the bedroll, I quickly join Lucius.

"Oh, Lord Hector. Did I awake you?" He looks me directly in the eye, apparently ashamed of what he's done.

"No. Don't worry about it. Did Marcus just get back?"

"Yes. He rode all night, and is resting now." I impatiently wait for Lucius to cast the spell onto Eliwood. Watching as he holds the staff out, I listen to him chant the words that have long been lost with time.

"Savocs nulram, jirae." The staff begins to glow, and a soft, piercing green aura encircles Eliwood.

"Did it work?"

"I'm hoping so. We'll have to give it some time though, until we can be sure." Lucius leaves the tent, and once again I am forced to wait alone. But I really don't care, I just want to know for sure if he's going to be alright.

I remain seated, and for two hours I watch his chest slowly rise and fall. The staff seems to have worked, for much of his color has returned, and the fever seems to be breaking.

Hearing Eliwood moan, I focus all my attention on him. He's waking up.

"…Hector? Where are we? What happened?"

"We're in camp. You fell ill, and have been unconscious for some time now. But anyway, how are you feeling?"

"…I feel fine."

"Don't lie to me. You're still burning hot, you're shivering, and judging by your reaction to my voice, you've got one hell of a headache.

"But-"

"Just get some rest." He really must be feeling like crap, he didn't try to argue with me. I remain by his side as he drifts to sleep, and I plan on being here when he wakes up.


	3. Morning Light

I remained in the tent, not quite ready to get up yet. I must have fallen asleep while watching over Eliwood, for I was not in my bedroll.

Speaking of which, how was he?

Shifting my gaze towards his bedroll, I notice that it's empty. Well, that's definitely a good sign. Wanting nothing more than to be with him, I force myself to my feet, only to feel something slide off my shoulders and land at my feet…Eliwood's cape.

Bending down to retrieve it, I handle it carefully, not wanting it to receive any damage. It had once belonged to Lord Elbert, and it was all Eliwood had left of his departed father. Folding it, I leave it on his bedroll before looking for him.

Opening the flap of the tent, I am suddenly blinded by the light. Cursing under my breath, I shield my eyes, but it does no good.

"You never were much of a morning person, were you, Hector?" A calm, yet strong voice rings through the air. This followed by a wonderful melodious laugh.

Gods…I always did love that laugh. It always could lift my spirits, ruining even the worst of my foul moods.

My eyes had finally adjusted to the light, and I was greeted by the most beautiful view.

Eliwood was leaning against a cherry blossom, some of the petals resting atop his hair. A few more fell from the branches, and he was unconsciously brushing them away. He was watching the sunrise, as small smile etched across his face. A gentle breeze was blowing against him, making his hair more unruly than ever before.

"Where is everyone?" I stood, frozen by the beauty in front of me.

"They are still asleep." He turned towards me, gesturing for me to come and sit beside him.

"Then why in the hell are you up this early, El?"

"I'm up this early every morning to watch the sunrise. And stop calling me that." I smile, snickering to myself. He always did hate that name. " And why are you up? You're usually the last on awake."

"I'm not really sure. Couldn't sleep, I guess." We remain there, in silence. Wrapping my arm around him, I feel his head rest itself against my shoulder. I couldn't help but play with his hair, but he didn't seem to mind. We were to together, and I could ask him the question that had been nagging at my mind.

"How do you think the others will take this?" He lifted his head up, looking me straight in the eyes. I never realized just how blue his eyes were…

"They can't know…not yet." His eyes seem to hold remorse. "How well will it go over, for your brother, and my mother, learning that we will never be able to provide an heir?"

Damn…I hadn't thought of that.

"Don't worry, El. It'll all work out in the end." I held him closer, more for my sake than his. I had just got him…I didn't want to lose him now.

But he was right…

"The others will be up soon." Eliwood pulled away. Separating ourselves, we continued to sit in silence, waiting for the others to wake up.

"This is so boring, El!" How can you stand this every morning?"

"I find it peaceful, and am able to think without interruptions." He continued to stare off into the distance, the sun now shining on his features.

I had the desire to embrace him again, but a yawn and the shuffling of footsteps ended that hope.

"Good morning, Eliwood! And…Hector? You're up early."

"Morning, Lyndis." We said in unison. She came over to join us, resting herself on the ground.

"How are you feeling, Eliwood?" She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, turning her gaze towards him.

"Much better, thank you."

"You're lucky to have a friend like Hector. He spent the entire night watching over you." Eliwood looked at me, surprise etched across his face. All I could think to do was smile slightly, shrugging my shoulders.

"Well, I'm heading down to the stream. I'll see you two later." Watching her leave, I couldn't help but wonder just what made her so damn perky all the time.

"Is what she said true, Hector?" We look at each other, and my heart melts. I can't describe the look on his face, but it makes him look so young…so innocent.

"I…uh…that is…well…you see…" I struggle over each word, desperately trying to from a literate sentence.

"I don't think I've ever seen you at a loss of words before, Hector. Just tell me the answer." His voice is so calm, so gentle.

"I was worried! Okay!" I let the words quickly flow out, and I'm sure my face had reddened a few shades.

"I'll take that as a yes. Thank you, Hector."

"Yes, well, now it's my turn to ask a question. Why did you drape your cape over me?" Finally, I was given a chance to ask him.

"Well, you looked cold."

"And you do realize that there were two bedrolls in the tent, right?"

"Yes, but I didn't want to disturb you, and besides, you try dragging someone your size into their bedroll!" I hadn't thought of that…

"I see…by the way, I left your cape on your bedroll."

"Thank you." At this point, most of the camp was up, either having some breakfast, or preparing to leave. It seemed that Marcus and Oswin were already packing up our stuff, so we had some more time to kill.

We sat in silence, watching the hustle and bustle around us. I unconsciously began to stroke the scar on my right hand, which seemed to catch Eliwood's attention.

"Hector? What are you doing?"

"Just thinking about how we got the matching scars."

Flashback

I can't believe that another Lycian Council meeting has been called. Now I'd have to sit here with all the other kids. But this time would be better, for I had Eliwood.

I actually somewhat enjoy these things now. It gave the two of us a chance to catch up, since we didn't get to see each other too often.

Speaking of which, where was he? It wasn't like him to be late…

"Hector!" Great…Erik.

"I'm busy right now, Erik. Go harass someone else for awhile."

"You wound me! I-"

"Sorry I'm late, Hector." Finally, he made it. I hear Erik growl, then watch as he storms off. He seems to dislike Eliwood, and I can't for the life of me figure out why.

"About time you got here. If you had been a minute sooner, you could have saved me from Erik."

"So I noticed. Erik doesn't seem to like me too much." I can hear the pain in his voice. Can't imagine why though…

"Hey, don't let it worry you. Having Erik like you is not a pleasant experience, believe me."

"From what I've heard, no. But anyway, how've you been, Hector?"

"Oh, you mean other than being lectured by Uther all the time?" At this point, we had managed to move ourselves to a less crowded area of the room.

Before Eliwood could respond, our attention was drawn to the other end of the room, where Erik was making a commotion.

"All of us here! We are Lycia's future! For the greater good, we must make an alliance…a pact! Let us build a better tomorrow!" I watch as he slits his hand, running around, trying to get another to shake.

What an annoying jerk. Trying to seem all high and mighty. Have to give him credit though, the blood brothers is a good idea. I notice that everyone else seems to agree as they also slit their palms.

I do the same, as does Eliwood. Without a second thought, I grab his hand. Our blood runs together, becoming one and the same. For that one moment, the two of us were one entity.

Looking around, it appears that everyone has paired up, except for Erik. Stifling a laugh, the two of us pull our hands apart.

"There. The pact has been made. When one is in trouble, the other will be there to help." I stare at the mixed blood in my palm, then straight into Eliwood's eyes.

"Yes. And with it, we shall grow old together."

End Flashback

"You know, back then," he begins, looking at his scar. "I'm glad I took your hand."

"Same here, El. Same here." Just as I am about to speak again, a shout is directed towards us.

"Lord Eliwood! Lord Hector! We're all ready to go!" Mark waves us down, and we quickly join the others, more specifically, we join the tactician.

"Mark. Where exactly is our next destination?" I had forgotten that Eliwood didn't know. He was ill when the decision had been decided upon.

"Sorry to have made a decision without your input, Lord Eliwood, but there was little choice in the matter. We are heading to the Dread Isle, to Dragon's Gate. Nergal is waiting for us there."

"Yes…to Dread Isle." His eyes flash full of pain and remorse, and I recognize that look instantly…

He's thinking of Ninian…He still blames himself for her death.

I know it wasn't his fault, and I know the others feel the same way. If only I could make him see it also…

But how?

I've already tried talking to him, but that obviously didn't work. Maybe if I got Nils…

"Hector! Hurry up! You're falling behind!"

"Yes…I'm coming!" I'll have to think about that later. I catch back up to Eliwood, and we continue onwards.

To Dragon's Gate…


	4. A Gift

Disclaimer: Nothing new. I still don't own anything.

-A Gift-

We were still a day's travel from Badon, where we hoped to receive Fargus's help yet again. All of us were pretty damned tired, so we decided to camp for the night.

After everyone had retired for the night, I was glad to finally have some time alone with Eliwood.

Man, I'm exhausted! It's nice to finally get off my feet!" I kick my boots off, lazily dropping to the ground beside Eliwood. Removing my armor, I throw it, not really caring about how much noise it makes.

"Tired already, Hector? You must be getting out of shape." Good, he's smiling again. He's obviously not thinking about Ninian anymore.

"What? Are you telling me you're not the least bit tired?"

"Well...yes, I am. I'm just not as obvious about it as you are."

"I'll show you obvious!" Grabbing him in a headlock, I begin o mess up his hair with my free hand, while he struggles to get free. I pull him closer, yanking his face directly in front of mine.

"What does that have to do with ob-"Silencing him, I brush my lips over his slowly, keeping them there as long as possible. I feel him rest against me as I gently stroke his face.

"How is this going to work, Hector?" He looks right into my eyes with his, and I can't help but watch as the light dances of the cerulean coloring. "I want to stay with you, but-"

"Shh..." I put my finger against his lip, which seems to both quiet and comfort him. "It'll all work out, I promise."

Not another word is spoken as we stay with one another. As time passes, Eliwood eventually falls asleep against me. Being careful not to wake him, I move his head into my lap, allowing him to lie down.

Running my hands through his hair, I think back to his question...

/How is this going to work/

I really have no idea, but I'll find a way. I have to, I promised him.

His breathing is eerily comforting, and I soon find myself drifting in and out of consciousness.

(Fancy Thing)

This place, it looks familiar. Could it be...Dragon's Gate? But why am I here? And where is everyone? Wait...there's a battle taking place. I can hear it, but I can't see it. Walking around, I find that I still cannot see the battle.

I continue moving forward, and I eventually come across a figure. I can't tell who it is due to the lighting, or in this case, the lack of.

Wait...that's Eliwood! But what's he doing here?

I call his name, but he ignores me. His mouth begins to move, he starts talking, but no words come out. Who is he talking to anyway?

Nergal? What the hell's going on?

I watch as Eliwood draws his sword, charging towards the older man. I try to move towards him, but suddenly I can't move.

Nergal begins to chant, and Eliwood is knocked back by what I figure to be dark magic. Getting up, he runs at him again, but Nergal begins a different chant.

A blue aura flares up around him, and ice begins to form near his hands. Time seems to slow as Eliwood closes the distance, and Nergal continues to chant, the ice now taking a solid shape.

Just as Eliwood is about to bring his sword down on the mage, his arm shoots out, the ice flowing with it. The ice chunks hurdle themselves at Eliwood, and I watch in horror as one of them pierces itself through his chest, and he falls to the ground.

I try to scream, but nothing comes out. All I can do is watch as he draws his last breaths, a pool of blood forming around his now pale figure. The last thing I see is Nergal smiling, moving towards him.

(Fancy Thing)

"Hector! Wake up!" I feel myself being shaken, and I force my eyes open.

"What? What is it? Focusing my eyes, I realize that Eliwood was the one trying to wake me up.

"You were having a nightmare."

"A dream...Yes...just a dream."

"What were you dreaming about?" He moves closer to me, but I am unable to look at him. When I do, I can see his death replayed.

"Nothing important, really. Let's just go back to sleep." This time I lie down, pulling Eliwood in my arms. He quickly drifts back into sleep, but I am unable to do so.

I continue to tell myself that it was nothing more than a dream, but I only believe it to be a half-truth.

(Fancy Thing)

Gods...I feel like hell. The lack of sleep is beginning to take its toll on me. But I can't worry about that now, I have more important things to deal with.

Like finding that blasted monk...Preferably before we reach our destination.

Maybe Raven's seen him. I spot him walking some distance away from the others, Wil nattering away in his ear.

I head over to them, interrupting the archer.

"Hey, Raven. Have you seen Lucius this morning?"

"...No, I haven't." Weird, those two are almost always together. I am about to pursue him, but decide otherwise. Judging by the scowl, he is not in the best of moods, even for him.

"Alright! Thanks anyway." As I leave, I can hear Wil start talking again. This is followed by a growl from Raven.

I continue my search, growing very impatient. At one point I thought I'd found him, but it turned out to only be Louise.

I work my way to the back of the line, and I see him talking with Serra.

"Hey, Lucius! Can I speak with you?" I glance at Serra. "Alone!"

"Hmph! You are SO rude!" I watch her storm off, complaining to herself along the way.

"What did you wish to speak of, Lord Hector?"

"Well, I'm not sure how to word this, but...do dreams mean anything?" I try to ask without having to explain the dream.

"Hmm...dreams are often just ones nerves acting up," he began. "But it's also believed that when one dreams, St. Elimine is showing them an event, either from the past, or the future."

"You mean...what someone sees in a dream could actually happen?" I can't help but shudder at the thought.

"Yes. If I may, milord, why do you ask?"

"...No reason." I begin to leave, heading back up to the front. "Thank you, Lucius."

"No need, my lord."

I slowly begin to work my way back up to the front, deciding to take my time. I'm already sick of walking, and I see no reason to speed up anymore.

Besides, it's not really going to matter if I walk at the front or not. I know that Lords are generally supposed to lead their troops, or something of the sort, but I don't really give a damn. It's not like I have a good reputation to keep or anything. Besides, Eliwood's probably got that all taken care of.

Looking forward, I notice something off in the distance. Is that...? Yes finally.

Badon. I never thought I'd be so damn glad to see the port town. All I really want is to just pass out at the Inn, maybe have a few drinks.

"Hector! There you are!" Eliwood comes running towards me. He almost tripped at one point, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Mark and I are going to see if we can find Fargus. Do you want to come?"

"Nah, I'll pass. Got some stuff I want to do."

"Alright then. I'll see you later." He hurries off to join Mark, and the two of them head towards the port.

I slowly work my way towards the Inn, stopping to see what is being sold at the Market. Nothing good really. It's all peddler's junk. But seeing as how I have nothing better to do, I might as well keep looking.

I pass from merchant to merchant, ignoring all the useless crap they are selling. Most of this stuff just seems to be their old junk. Others are selling some sort of crafts. While these are creative, they're still worthless.

I'm about to just give up and head over to the Inn, but something catches my attention. I move closer to the table, which is full of jewelry. I can see rings, bracelets, necklaces, just about anything imaginable. But there's one thing that stands out from the rest.

A pendant. I have never seen anything like it before. It's a golden dragon fashioned on a ruby gem. Strange, but it really reminds me of a certain redhead I know. Taking a closer look at it, I realize the design is more complex than I first thought. The dragon has its tail coiling around the gem, almost like it's protecting it.

I dig into my pockets, and hand a fistful of gold coins to the merchant. Probably a hell of a lot more than he was asking, but it doesn't matter. It's definitely worth it.

He's going to love it.

(Fancy Thing)

"Sorry I took so long." Eliwood closed the door behind him. "I didn't think the arrangements would take so long." He flops down onto he bed, and doesn't move.

"That tiring, huh?" I hear some sort of a muffled noise from him, and I can only assume that to be a yes.

"Did you just wait in the room all this time?" He turns his head slightly, now facing me. I still can't believe how exhausted he looked. What the hell did Fargus do?

"Nah. I went to the Market for awhile." I smile to myself as I think of where the conversation is headed.

"Really? Anything interesting?"

"Just one thing?"

"Oh? And what was that?" His curiosity peaks as he sits himself up, allowing his legs to dangle to the floor.

"Close your eyes."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it." As he complies, I lift myself off of my own bed, and walk over to him. As I pull the pendant out of my pocket, I fiddle with the clasp. Finally getting the damn thing open, I move my arms around Eliwood's neck, and close it. "Ok, you can look now."

I move my arms away, and he lifts the pendant up to eye level.

"Hector? This is-"

"For you? Of course. I wouldn't wear something like that." Not that it's distasteful or anything. I just don't like jewelry. But it certainly does suite Eliwood. It's as though it was made for him.

"It's beautiful...Thank you."

"Thought you'd like it."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


	5. Nightly Troubles

Disclaimer: I do not know Fire Emblem, the Fire Emblem character, or even Nintendo. I own nothing! I wished I owned a multi-million corporation…That would be sweet…

Nightly Troubles 

"Come now, ya landlubbers, hurry up and board. We're setting sail right away!" Fargus yelled at us, motioning for us to get our asses in gear. Not like it's easy though, especially when you've got as many traveling as we have. How many do we have anyway? Thirty? Forty? I've lost count at this point.

I trudge past him, heading towards mine and Eliwood's cabin. We had to get up at dawn to please Fargus, and as far as I'm concerned, that's way to damn early. I need a few more hours before I even attempt to do anything.

Just as I am about to drift into sleep, a large crash resonates through the wall, followed by a string of curses…

Great…I would be right next to Matthew and Guy. It would seem that the thief is in one of his moods again. Guess I won't be getting to rest anytime soon…

Might as well find some other way to pass the time…

I pull myself out of the small bed, heading for the door. A walk is really the only thing I'm up to doing right now. Before I can actually get anywhere though, I hear an ear splitting scream followed by a pink blur.

"Lord Hector!" I wince as Serra grabs onto my arm. I never could understand how she could get that high pitched, and even worse, why she chose to do so at every given moment.

"…What do you want?" I growl at her. The last thing I want right now is her company. She's already starting to give me a headache.

"You're so thoughtful, Lord Hector! Always fulfilling my needs!" It still amazes me how she can manage to be so oblivious to everything.

"Unless you have a reason for hanging on to my arm then go away!" I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but at least she may get the point.

"Hmph! Fine! If you don't want my attention, then I'll give it someone more deserving!" She screams at me before she storms off…

I'll have to apologize to her…later. But for now, I have other things on my mind...

Like the dream... At least, I hope it's nothing more than a dream...

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I continue walking. The deck, yes. The deck sounds nice right about now. The fresh air will really do me some good. But hopefully no one else is there, I would really rather be alone right now...Unless he's there.

I ascend the last step, right away feeling the cool wind against my face. The seems desolate enough here, just a few deckhands that seem to be turning in for the night. Good, so I am alone. I work my way over to the railing, allowing myself to lean against it. I wipe away the few water drops that are splashing up into my face, giving up when they keep getting replaced.

"Hector? What are you doing out here?" He comes over, joining me on the edge of the ship.

"Nothing much. Just thinking." I glance at him, noticing that his gaze is fixated on the star filled sky.

"Really? About what?"

"Nothing really." I lie, hoping that it was believable. He doesn't respond, so I guess it's safe to assume that he's fine with the answer. "What are you looking at?" I ask, noticing that he's still staring up.

"The stars. There's just something about them...I don't know what exactly, but they make me feel at peace." He finishes with a yawn, leaning back against the rail.

"If you're tired then you should turn in, El."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Good night, Hector." I suppress a laugh, realizing just how tired he is. He either didn't notice or didn't care that I called him that. Why does he insist on pushing himself so?

"Good night." I reply as he begins to leave, heading down below to the quarters. I watch his movements, lacking there usual refined rhythmic step that he always possessed. It was weird seeing him walk that way. In fact, I could only think of one other time that he had done that.

Flashback

The fire still burned brightly, even though most of us had already left the area. Everyone had come to pay their respects, but felt they didn't have the right to remain for so long. Other than the two of us, Lyn had been the last to leave, placing a hand on Eliwood's shoulder in a silent attempt at comfort. The last remants of the body had disappeared long ago, but still we couldn't break our gaze away from the fire. After what seemed like an eternity, I final spoke, my voice shattering the silence, even though it was no more than a whisper...

"Eliwood..." He ignored me, still staring. I could see the hurt on his face, and it was taking all of his effort to hold back the tears. Seeing this, I move closer to him, copying Lyn's earlier actions. "I'm so sorry."

"I couldn't save him." He whispered, still not moving his eyes. "He was right there, and I couldn't do anything...If only I had gotten there sooner..."

"Eliwood..." I grasp both his shoulders, forcing him to look directly into my eyes. "It's not your fault. You did everything you could have done...It's not your fault." Not being able to take it anymore, the tears begin to fall down his face. He buries himself in my shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. I wrap my arms around him, stroking his back lightly. His legs give out, and I drop with him, allowing him to continue crying on my shoulder.

We remain that way for a while, until Eliwood's crying dies down silent sobs, the only sound the occassional hiccup. He finally pulls himself away, and slowly staggers to his feet, beginning to walk away.

"Eliwood, where - ?

"I need to be alone right now." He interrupts, continuing to walk. I could tell by his walk that he was hurting inside. I do nothing more than watch, waiting until he is out of my view. I turn back to the fire, which is nothing more than a flicker. Putting it out, I head back to the camp.

End Flashback

Yes. Something has to be bothering Eliwood. I'll have to force it out of him later though, unless he's still awake...

I'll have to check on that.

I move away from the railing, heading towards the stairs. I move as silently as possible, not wanting to wake up the others. I finally make it to my room, and slowly open the door, just in case he is asleep.

And I'm right. He is. I can't help but smile at him though. The covers have been spewn around him, with his legs dangling off the bed. He's lying half on his stomache, and half on his side. I slowly move towards him, deciding to put him properly on the bed, lest he be stiff and sore in the morning.

I gently turn him onto his back, also lifting his legs back on the bed. I chuckle to myself as he mumbles something incoherent. Pulling the covers back onto him, I realize that the small amount of moonlight his reflecting off of his face just right, making him glow. I move my face over to his, lowering it down slowly. I press my lips onto his, and I feel his lips open slightly.

This is just too tempting...

I slide my tongue into his mouth, rubbing it along his gums and tongue for about a minute. I pull it out though as he starts to stir. I don't want to wake him up, not when he's so beautiful when sleeping. Luckily, he doesn't awaken, but his lips part into a soft smile.

"...Hector." I hear him mumble, before turning over.

"Night, love." I drop onto my own bed, quickly drifting into sleep.


	6. Dread Isle

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Nothing!

_**Dread Isle**_

"Nnnh...five more minutes..." I mumble as I feel myself being shaken slightly.

"Hector, wake up." I'm shaken a little harder. "We're at Dread Isle."

"Alright..." I moan, forcing myself out of bed. I follow Eliwood onto the deck of the ship, only to realize that it's still dark out. Sigh...why so early?

"The sooner we leave, the better." He says, as though he can sense my thoughts. "The enemy won't be able to detect us so easily, or so Mark says." I don't reply, still trying to wake myself up. I join all the others, most of which seem just as displeased with the departure time. Actually, now that I think about it, Eliwood's really the only one that doesn't seem to mind being up...

I ignore Mark as he seems to spew out any battle tactics, hoping to prepare the army beforehand. Soon after, we depart, and I trudge after the others in silence. Eventually the sun began to rise, and I found myself blinded by its rays. I look towards Eliwood, whom, like always, is at the front of the group, taking his place beside Mark. I watch as the two converse for a while, probably more battle plans or some other political crap.

Soon after, he slows his pace, allowing some of the troops to pass him. Once I start to pass him though, he matches my pace, walking alongside me. He remains in silence for a moment, until he breaks it.

"So, did you have fun last night?" He smiles slyly, staring right into my eyes. Last night, what is he talking abou-!

"W-what are you talking about?" We were stuck on a ship!" Shit! How could he know…Gods…I shouldn't have rushed it, not with Eliwood.

"You know what I'm talking about…"

"Alright fine! I'm sorry! I couldn't resist seeing you that way! What was I supposed to do!"…

I did not just yell that out, did I? Luckily, no one else seems to have heard. They're either too tired to listen, or amidst conversations of their own.

I listen as he laughs, trying his best to stifle it. "You are so much fun to bug, Hector. It's nothing to worry about."

"Waitaminnit… How could you have known all of this if you were asleep?"

"Well, I was only asleep until you came into the room. You couldn't be quiet to save your life."

At least he's in a much better mood today.

"So you were pretending to be asleep through all that. Shame on you!" I scold him jokingly. I can think of nothing else to do, seeing as how I've been caught.

"Shame on you for taking advantage of a sleeping person."

"Hey! Not cool!" Damn, I walked right into that one.

"Did you like what you tasted?" He whispers almost seductively1. I find myself unable to respond, completely caught off guard by his question. He heads back up to the front, once again joining Mark. Same as before, they talk about gods know what. Their conversation is quickly shattered though, as an arrow imbeds itself in the ground right beside Eliwood..

Mark begins to quickly ramble off some new orders, as the group responds quickly, rushing to their respected areas. As I hear my name, I nod, joining with Kent and Erk. We are to engage the enemies to the west, providing support for the others already heading there.

----------------------------------

I pull my Wolf Beil out of the archer's shoulder, giving it a quick, forceful swipe to clear the fresh blood off of it. So far, everyone has managed to hold their own just fine, and we were slowly phasing out the enemies numbers. Noticing that my area was clear for the moment, I took a moment to think. I wonder how Eliwood is doing? It's mid afternoon now, and the last I saw him was during the beginning of the battle, when he was talking to that man, a bishop, I think.

I hope he's doing alright...

"Sain? what are you doing here?" Kent rides to meet his friend, who quickly made his way over.

"Enemy reinforcements have arrived! Mark wants everyone up to the front immediately!" He yells, before riding off. What a minute...isn't Eliwood at the front lines? Without another thought, I dash off, following after the cavalier.

Soon after, I arrive at the front lines, surprised at the sudden number of them. Damn...Sain wasn't exaggerating. Seeing a knight approach me, I forget all my previous thoughts, quickly joining in the fray. I hack left and right, carelessly swinging my axe at any that dare get too close.

I suddenly noticed a mage with his back to me, preparing to cast a spell. I smirked. Too easy. Charging at him full speed, I embedded my axe in his spine, ceasing his life before he could even finish chanting.

I continuously kept a close eye on my sides, never letting my guard down, even for a minute. I kept up a strong defense, attacking whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I found myself slowly making my way closer to the front line, where I finally caught a glimpse of Eliwood.

I watched him for a moment, amazed with the skill and finesse with which he fought. He had improved extremely quickly, especially considering that he's only had a few months of actual battle experience. Everything before that was sparring matches.

In fact, I can still remember our first match.

Flashback

"Eliwood, would you hurry up already?" I tap my foot impatiently, annoyed that he's taking so long to prepare. I would swear that he's stalling.

Not that I really blame him though. This will be his first spar ever, and I'm not exactly a pushover, being about five inches taller than him. At ten years, he was incredibly short.

"Almost got it." He says, trying to attach his sheath to his belt. "There." He walks towards me.

"Bout time," I grab my axe, as he readies his rapier, preparing for the first attack.

"Ok… now remember not to let your guard down," I sidestep to avoid the sword aiming for my right side. I swing my axe, only to be rewarded by the clash of metal.

He blocked it. Good. Wouldn't be any fun if he went down already. While this was supposed to be more of a training combat, I still wanted to enjoy myself.

I decide to wait for him to make the next move. He quickly lunges at me, and I find myself caught off guard by the sudden burst of speed.

I just barely managed to block with my axe, but the lack of time didn't give me time for my footing…

I stumble backwards, just barely able to keep my balance, almost falling flat on my ass.

"What was that about letting your guard down?" He smirks, sword raised in a defensive position.

"Don't worry, it won't happen again!" I rush forward, pushing the smaller boy back with the broad side of my weapon. I had to end this quickly, now. It's the only way to save my dignity.

He manages to catch himself quickly… Such surprising reflexes. Who would've thought?

We clash metal again, and I notice him fumble with his grasp on the hilt. Heh. Easy victory…

I rush him, constantly swinging like a madman. Barely giving him enough time to block, I keep swinging, slowly forcing him backwards.

With each hit I can feel his grip weakening. Until finally I watch as his sword clashes to the ground. Wasting no time, I move the edge of my axe to rest against the crook of his neck, allowing it to linger.

He sighs in defeat, and I pull away, a huge smile evident on my face.

"You'll have to do better than that to defeat me!" I proclaim, picking up Eliwood's blade and handing it back to him.

"I'll never be able to defeat you, Hector," He accepts his sword. "I did my best, and you still beat me so quickly.

"Don't worry about it. You're still not used to this kind of thing. Besides, your speed is unbelievable, and skill will come with practice.

"But you're so much stronger than I am-"

"You'll get stronger. Just keep training."

(End Flashback)

And how wrong I was. While he was always a fast one, and his skill had greatly improved, he was still lacking strength. Caring and weak…

Not a good combination. He was always getting himself into some kind of trouble because of his naivety. There was the time with Eric, Lloyd, Jaffar, Den-"2

"Watch out, milord!" I break my train of thoughts to see Oswin block an arrow from me. Before I can respond, he's off chasing the archer down.

Deciding to join the battle again, I quickly hurl a hand axe at a wyvern rider, lodging it in the wing, forcing it to come crashing down to the ground.

Once again, I have lost Eliwood, as he seems to have worked his way towards the fortress, must likely Nergal's, I can assume. I work my way up to the front best I can, slowly making progress towards our target.

I manage to come across Marcus, who is busy dealing with what appears to be a few generals. I rush over to help him, until I notice Eliwood off in the distance, heading towards the gate.

I bolt passed the enemies, wanting to join up with Eliwood. If he plans on heading over towards the entrance to Nergal's fortress, then I bet he's gonna need some help.

Finally getting close enough, I manage to make out the form of … crap, what's her name… Limstella? guarding the gate, chanting, obviously preparing a spell.

Ha! What a joke, she could never hit from this dis-?

I jump back as a bolt of lightning just misses hitting me.

"Hector! Are you okay?" Eliwood runs over, finally seeming to have noticed me. I join up with him, and we head over towards the sage.

"Yeah, wasn't expecting any spell to have that much of a distance."

"Hector, it's a bolting. A long range magic spell. Everyone knows about them. We learned about them in school even."

"Well, I can't remember everything!" I snap, feeling my pride on the line. So I don't pay attention! Big deal!

"Sure, sure. Let's just deal with her and get this over with!" We both charge, now within attacking distance of the morph.

I swipe down with my axe, and she quickly dodges, barely making an effort to do so. I continue swinging, noticing Eliwood coming up to her other side. Heh. She can't dodge both of us.

I swing again as she begins to chant, once again dodging, and knocking Eliwood down with an ice spell before he can even get his attack in.

"Useless little lords. Do you honestly think you have a chance against master Nergal?" She practically hisses at us, the venom clearing dripping from her voice.

"We will stop Nergal. He cannot be allowed to carry on his plan. I will stop him, for Elibe…for my father." Eliwood gets back up, quickly moving towards Limstella. He nods at me, and I catch on right away.

I hurl my last handaxe at her, and at the same time, run and start a barrage of attacks yet again. She just manages to dodge both of my axes, but in the process, forgot to watch her back.

Eliwood brings his blade up, slashing it down towards her. We are rewarded with the sound of her screaming, while attempting another spell. I slash across her shoulder, while Eliwood imbeds his sword through her stomach.

She slumps to the ground lifeless. Another obstacle out of our way. Now all that remains is Nergal himself.

"Come on, El. Let's regroup with the others."

1 Eliwood being kinky! Oo Who'd a thought it possible?

2 I know that most of those didn't actually happen, but it seemed to work, so I went with it.


End file.
